


KISMET

by kwuintessence



Category: Winner (Band)
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 17:32:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8542417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kwuintessence/pseuds/kwuintessence
Summary: “Sleep on the bed.” Jinwoo says, voice restrained. "This is your room. It's only right that you get the bed."Kim Jinwoo simply wants a resting place for the night. Instead, he meets someone like Song Mino – a conceited and arrogant bachelor. Holed together in one room, will something ignite between these two souls? Can one night finally give Kim Jinwoo the reprieve he desperately needs?





	

 

The rain came just as his cab pulled up in front of an old yet tasteful well lit building. Drawing the hood of his well-worn gray hoodie tighter around his face, he silently stared up at the polished metallic letters gleaming down on him, THE SEOUL GRAND HOTEL. Looking over at the cab driver, he handed him his fare before getting off and hurrying to the back to retrieve his things from the trunk. He winced as he pulled out his luggage, setting it down with difficulty next to his duffel bags. Slamming the lid shut, he waved to the cab driver before hurrying inside.

He stopped at the front desk where a young woman greeted him with a cordial bow.

 _“I have a reservation.”_ He informed her, tugging down the long sleeves of his hoodie.

The young woman asked him a couple questions then proceeded to check the computer. Moments later she looked up at him with a smile, _“We have your room ready, Kim Jinwoo-shii.”_

 

 

The brass key handed to him felt cold and foreign in his hand yet Jinwoo found it charming that they were still using actual keys instead of the usual key-cards that are commonly used in modern hotels nowadays. Then again, this is a really _old_ hotel, erected way before his parents were even born. Jinwoo’s lips curled up as he recalled the little jingle for this hotel’s TV commercial, singing a couple lines from it that he liked best - _some things never change, some things last forever_.

The room was dark when Jinwoo stepped in. He was too weary to care about much of anything else other than to get to the bed and curl up. Leaving his luggage and duffel bags by the door, he slipped off his shoes and half-crawled his way to the queen-sized bed. Wrapping himself under the satiny sheets, he closed his tired eyes and promptly fell asleep.

 

 

Jinwoo roused to the feeling of something being not quite right. Something cold lightly brushed against his cheek a few times. It was followed by something gelid and wet landing on his chin. Confused and curious, he opened his eyes slowly only to find himself face to face with a complete stranger.

Jinwoo let out a sharp gasp as he sat up in surprise and backed against the headboard, heart erratically beating in his chest, his fist moving fast. The sudden action knocked down the stranger that was leaning over him.

_“Who the hell are you?! How did you get in here?!”_

He stood up on the bed, towering over a man sprawled on the floor, his back to him with only a towel covering his lower half. Seeing that made Jinwoo shudder involuntarily, he gathered the sheets around himself.

_“What were you doing to me just now?! I’m going to call security.”_

Just as Jinwoo lifted the receiver off of the phone sitting on the bedside table, the stranger spoke up, _“This is my room. I’m the one who should be asking you that.”_

 _“Excuse me?”_ Jinwoo’s irritation was evident in his voice. He placed the receiver back down and glared at the stranger.

 _“You’re not only a pervert; you’re a damn liar too.”_ Jinwoo dug into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his room key with the room number etched on the attached tag, waving it into the air as if it would solve the situation at hand.

The stranger didn’t bother to look. He got up from the floor and Jinwoo immediately raised his hands in front of him defensively. Jinwoo assumed that he would approach him and attack him but the stranger simply walked over to the other side of the bed with sure steps. Grabbing something from the other bedside table, he tossed it to him - it was a key similar to his with the same room number etched on the tag, _2740_.

 _“But...”_ Jinwoo’s voice clogged into his throat, looking at his keys and the stranger’s keys.

 _“Do you believe me now?”_ The stranger standing on the other side of the bed asked, turning slowly to face him. Jinwoo gasped and scooted back, the bottom half of the stranger’s face was covered in blood and some of it was on the towel wrapped around his waist.

 _“My nose....”_ Jinwoo looked away from him as he said it, now feeling not only immensely sorry but also very embarrassed. _“...you almost broke it.”_

 _“I thought you were going to...”_ Jinwoo trailed off, grabbing a fistful of sheets, heat creeping up his cheeks.

 _“Going to what?”_ The stranger responded sarcastically, cleaning up his bloodied face with some facial tissues from the bedside table. Jinwoo narrowed his eyes at him in retaliation.

 _“I’m going to get cleaned up and get dressed. Why don’t you go sit over there?”_ Jinwoo took a quick glance at the armchair the stranger was pointing out to him and for a while neither one of them spoke. That is until Jinwoo felt a dip on the bed. With one knee on the edge of the mattress, the stranger closed in on his face.

 _“What?”_ Jinwoo asked, slightly backing away. Minus the blood, the stranger was no longer terrifying to look at. Now that Jinwoo can stare at him properly and see his face up close, he found him to be quite good-looking with his thick brows and well-defined lips. He had a fantastic toned torso as well, the type that Jinwoo used to work out for in the gym, _back when he still cared_.

 _“I need to get dressed...”_ The stranger smirked, moving his hands to the towel that covered his lower half and tugged it. _“...or did you want to stay and watch?”_

 _This fucker…_ Jinwoo managed to avert his gaze just as the towel fell on the floor. _Just who the hell does he think he is_?! He hurriedly got up and off the bed without looking down once, tripping over the rug in his haste, behind him he heard the stranger laughing.

 _Well, fuck you!_ He internally fumed. _I should have broken your nose!_

  
 

 _“The hotel just made a mistake.”_ The stranger tells him as they walked down the corridor towards where the elevators are at. _“Handed you the wrong key or something.”_

Jinwoo was only half-listening to him, it was almost 9PM and all he really wants now is to get a room of his own and sleep. The stranger, though conceited and arrogant, was nice enough to help him with his things. Jinwoo pulled his luggage behind him while the stranger managed his duffel bags.

When they finally reached the lobby they headed straight to the front desk where the same woman that assisted Jinwoo earlier was helping another guest. Realizing that it might be a while, they decided to go and sit down at the guest sitting area.

_“So, what’s your name? What brings you here?”_

The stranger clapped his hand too hard on his back that Jinwoo pretty much ended up tripping over his own feet _again_ at the force and collapsing on the seat sideways.

_“Whoa, there - **Snow White**. Be careful.”_

_Did he just call me **Snow White**? What the fuck is wrong with this guy? _ Jinwoo though, incensed. _Touch me again and I swear I will punch that sardonic grin off your face!_

 _“I’m Song Mino.”_ The stranger extended his hand to him. Jinwoo ignored it, not interested.

 _“Kim Jinwoo.”_ he responded dryly without looking at him, once again tugging down his long sleeves.

 _“What’s your story?”_ The guy named Mino prods, voice way too loud. Just hearing him talk made Jinwoo's head hurt. _“Don’t tell me you ran away from home or something.”_

His fingers curled into a tight fist. Jinwoo was coming closer and closer to reaching his _‘edge of niceness’_ , slowly moving towards the valley of _‘I am done tolerating your bullshit!’_. He's already taken way too many hard hits the last couple days, literally and metaphorically, and this asshole is going way out of line.

Still, violence wasn’t in his nature so he flashed him a forced smile instead. _Get a grip, Jinwoo! Once the hotel works this out you won’t have to see this bastard ever again._

Before he can say anything and before Mino can ask him more questions, Jinwoo noticed that the guest from earlier is already walking away from the counter. He abruptly stood and briskly made his way towards the receptionist, Mino hurrying after him.

 _“Excuse me. There’s a mix-up. You gave him the wrong key.”_ Mino ended up reaching the counter before he did, pointing at him. Jinwoo raised his hand a bit to imply that he was it.

_“Sirs, can I see your IDs please? Also, your room keys...”_

  
 

 _“You must be fucking kidding me.”_ Jinwoo rarely swore vocally but he couldn’t help it this time. The receptionist’s smile faltered and seconds later he’s being abruptly pulled to the side.

 _“What are you doing?”_ Mino demanded in a hushed town, fingers digging on his shoulder. _“It’s not her fault that the reservations were mussed.”_

 _“I don’t care whose fault it is, I want it taken care of!”_ Jinwoo pulled away from him, not bothering to lower his voice.

 _“She already said they have no other rooms available...”_ Mino was back, relentlessly tugging on his arm. _“...the other hotels nearby are fully booked too!”_

 _“Will you just get off my case?!”_ Jinwoo finally snapped, shoving Mino off him. _“I’m not a charity case so stop meddling into my affairs!”_

Infuriated that everything seemed to be going wrong again, Jinwoo picked up his duffel bags and pulled his luggage, intent on making a hasty exit. He has no place to go but he knew that he needed to quickly get away.

 

Anywhere _away_ from this place.

Away from this _annoying_ guy.

_Away from everything._

 

 _“Aish.”_ Mino scratched his head, running after him. _“Ya! Come back here!”_

The rain was coming down hard by the time he exited the hotel, Jinwoo could barely see anything within two feet. He was cold, drenched, and completely miserable.

_“Stop! Please stop!”_

_“How annoying.”_ He muttered under his breath, walking even faster and breaking into a jog seconds later, water splashing everywhere.

Mino was quite persistent and soon he is standing in front of Jinwoo, blocking his way.

 _“I told you to stop!”_ Mino spat angrily. Grabbing Jinwoo by the arm, he started to pull him back towards the hotel entrance.

 _“Let go of me!”_ Jinwoo bellowed, trying to get out of Mino’s hold but he couldn’t. _“You’re hurting me!”_ he screeched after almost falling over again.

Mino stopped in his tracks and eased his grip, eventually letting him go.

 _“Leave me the fuck alone!”_ Jinwoo turned away and started pulling his luggage again only to stop seconds later as Mino’s hand clamped around his wrist.

 _“Let go.”_ He glared at him. _“Fucking get your hands off me!”_ He tried shoving him away with his other hand; Mino stopped him by catching his other arm.

 _“It’s already late, it’s raining, and it’s dark. There’s no way I’m letting you go anywhere.”_ Mino’s grip on him got tighter, emphasizing his point.

Jinwoo knew that he was right but it did nothing to shake his resolve, he shook his arm much harder than last, wrist finally getting freed. _“I don’t even know you.”_

 _“The same goes for me!”_ Mino shouted, his frustration leaking into his voice.

Jinwoo looked up at him, startled, meeting his gaze for the first time.

 _“Stay.”_ Mino stated firmly. He stepped closer, a determined look on his face. Jinwoo attempted to take a step back when he felt Mino’s arm slide around his waist, keeping him in place.

 _“Just what are you pulling now?”_ Jinwoo asked cautiously, prying Mino’s arm off and ultimately taking a step back.

 _“Don’t go and stay with me.”_ Mino’s hand shot out, reaching for his, fingers moving delicately as he interlocked them with Jinwoo’s and squeezed. _“Please.”_

A part of Jinwoo wanted to bolt out of there yet another part of him felt oddly relieved for some reason. Mino’s fingers that were laced around his felt warm and strangely pleasant, giving Jinwoo a sense of calm he hasn’t had in the last few days.

 _“You can hit me. Call me crazy...”_ Mino paused, voice no more than a hush. _“...but I’m not letting you go.”_

Jinwoo swallowed thickly, an indescribable feeling filling him. He’s never met anyone like Mino before, not that he’s met many other people either. There was something about his unwavering voice, something about _that look_ in his eyes.

 

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Cold and sopping wet, the two of them made their way back to _Mino’s room_ with all eyes on them. _Mino_ _’s room_ because it turns out that he made the reservation before Jinwoo did and he also got there ahead of him. Jinwoo trailed behind him, his hoodie-covered head lowered - way too many thoughts swimming in his head, with the first being why Mino’s hand is still intertwined with his.

When they got back inside the room, they leave his things by the door. Jinwoo follows Mino around wordlessly; unsure of what’s to come. A minute later they’re in the bathroom with Mino turning on the tap and checking the water.

 _“Your lips are blue.”_ Mino points out, grabbing two fresh towels from the rack and offering one to him.

Jinwoo stares at the fluffy towel for a bit before gingerly taking it and that’s when Mino finally let go of his hand. Without notice, Mino lifted off the drenched hood of his hoodie and started patting his wet skin slowly and carefully with the towel in his hand.

They stood so close together that Jinwoo can practically feel Mino’s breath on his face. Mino moves even closer and the space between them shrinks to nothing, making his heart pound for a moment. When Jinwoo looks up, he finds Mino’s eyes trained on him - they were undecipherable, keeping Jinwoo on his toes.

 _What the hell is happening?_ Jinwoo wondered. _Where did the egotistic asshole from earlier go?_

 _“I can do it myself...”_ Jinwoo trails off when he could no longer ignore the loud and demanding ruckus that has started in his chest. Mino’s hand froze in place and for a few seconds none of them spoke.

 _“The tub is almost full.”_ Mino oddly chuckled moments later, biting into his bottom lip. _“You should get in. Get warmed up.”_

Jinwoo watches him unnaturally slink out of the bathroom, _“How about you? You’re soaked too.”_

 _“Don’t worry about me.”_ Mino profusely waves at him, _“I have a really good immune system! Besides, I can use the one at the gym.”_

As if to prove his point, Mino flexed his arm a bit, tripping over the bathroom rug in the process.

  
 

Once his musings started, he was pretty much dead to the world. Jinwoo had no idea how long he’d been in the tub, just that he ended up soaking until the water had gone cold. Carefully toweling himself dry, his thoughts drifted back to Mino. The sudden shift in his personality had thrown Jinwoo off-course. He thought him to be annoying at first but now he's being so nice to him and Jinwoo doesn't know how to deal with that. Just as he reached for the door knob, Jinwoo realized that he had no clothes to change into. All of it was in his drenched duffel bags and in his luggage by the front door.

He surreptitiously opened the bathroom door, a towel wrapped around his middle. He’d have to just ask Mino to wheel his luggage over to him so that he can change into something _dry_. However, the arm chair he sat on from earlier greeted him. On it some unfamiliar clothes were laid out along with a note. Jinwoo stared at it for a while before poking his head out and scanning the room. He sighed in relief when he didn’t see Mino anywhere. Stepping out of the bathroom, he picked up the note and read it.

 

_They’re clean. Please wear them._

_I stepped out to get us food._

_Watch some TV. I’ll be back soon._

_\- MINO_

 

Jinwoo inspected the clothes - a plain white short sleeve t-shirt, gray lounge pants, and a pair of black tight fitting boxer briefs.

  
 

Gentle hands roused him, lightly tapping his cheeks and shaking his shoulders. Jinwoo winced, eyes finally fluttering open, he finds Mino gazing down at him, brows furrowed.

_“Why did you sleep there? You should have lain down on the bed.”_

Jinwoo blearily blinked up at him, feeling sore. He fell asleep on one side of the loveseat while waiting for Mino’s return, sitting upright while hugging his knees.

 _“You didn’t even dry your hair properly.”_ Mino noticed, touching his hair and leaving him. _“What are we going to do if you catch a cold?”_

 _We?_ Jinwoo was still too sleepy to process his thoughts so he doesn’t question it even though something in the back of his mind tells him otherwise.

When Mino came back seconds later he had a towel with him. He draped it on Jinwoo’s head then started towel drying his hair with it.

 _“You should take care of yourself more.”_ Mino tells him.

Jinwoo doesn’t respond, he doesn’t really know how. Instead he chooses to focus on the comforting sensation of Mino’s towel wrapped hands gently rubbing his scalp.

 _“Look at you, so thin and pale.”_ The light cutesy tone at the end of Mino’s words made him want to laugh. Mino beams, his bright persona infectious. Jinwoo grins back, unable to resist it.

Out of the blue, Mino’s fingers brushed against a particularly painful spot on the underside of his jaw. Jinwoo flinched and quickly pushed him away, chest growing tight with anxiety as he covered it with his hand.

Mino went quiet, no longer smiling. Jinwoo held his breath as Mino’s eyes trailed down his battered arms that he so carefully hid under his gray long sleeved hoodie. He had changed into the short sleeves Mino had lent him, completely forgetting about them. Mino’s eyes are soft as he took everything in, gaze silently lingering on every bruise and every abrasion on his skin.

Jinwoo shifts uncomfortably in his seat trying to make himself as small as possible. He tries to flush down the wave of panic that is threatening to spill over. It hurts too much to remember and all he wants is to forget, but how can he do that when marks were _purposely left on his skin_ where he can see them and when they’re _imprinted in his very core_ where he can still feel them.

Mino clears his throat just as Jinwoo’s eyes begin to sting with unshed tears at the recollection. _“You must be hungry.”_ Mino says awkwardly, he unzips the jacket he’s wearing and gently covers Jinwoo with it. _“I don’t know what you like to eat so I just bought a bunch of different things. Eat whatever you like.”_

Jinwoo swallows, his misty eyes traveling to the coffee table where various food lay waiting. He straightened up, trying his best to breathe and hold himself together.

 _He’s fine, he'll be fine._ That’s what he’d like to believe but there’s that nagging feeling that something had gone missing. Whatever it was had been ripped away from him that terrible night and he doesn’t know how to get it back. He mentally curses himself for being weak and letting his walls down again.

 _“I’m sorry.”_ Mino says in a serious tone, the hesitation in his voice evident. _“I was embarrassed and...I wanted to look cool after that bloody mess from earlier. Thinking about it now, I’m sure I’ve upset you. I’m sorry.”_

Jinwoo shook his head. _“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”_

 _He lied_ \- it wasn’t fine, _he wasn’t fine_ , and he doesn't even know if he ever will be.

 

 

They eat quietly, neither one of them saying a word. Every now and then Jinwoo would look up and find Mino staring at him. The lack of interruptions made the weird tension he feels between them even more palpable. Mino’s way of staring bothered him; it was almost as if he was being pierced. He didn’t bother to hide it at all making Jinwoo’s face feel so hot that he had to keep his head lowered.

 _“Mino...”_ Jinwoo tries, his name feeling foreign on his tongue. _“Thank you for letting me stay the night.”_

Mino keeps silent but there’s this undeniable flicker in his eyes. In seconds his grin widens, eyes alight as he starts to profusely nod. Jinwoo indulges in the sight before him. Looks like _Mino_ _isn’t that bad_ of a guy after-all.

“ _What brought you here?”_

Jinwoo’s chopsticks stopped moving.

 _“Sorry.”_ Mino quickly picks up. _“You don’t have to answer it.”_

Jinwoo flashes him a relieved smile and Mino smiles back in understanding.

 _“Any plans from here? Or is that a bad one too?”_ Mino teased.

 _“Hmm, nothing specific.”_ Jinwoo offers. _“But I did buy a bus ticket to Ulsan before coming here.”_

 _“I see.”_ Mino nods between bites of food. _“Going to see family, maybe a friend?”_

Jinwoo shook his head. _“Nothing like that. I don’t know anyone from there.”_

_“Are you going for sightseeing?”_

_“No. I don’t know what they have there.”_

Mino furrowed his brows. _“Then why are you going there?”_

 _“I’ve seen Nam-gu’s emblem (Nam is a city in Ulsan. See below.) on the TV a few times. I thought it looked interesting.”_ Jinwoo chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. _“Sometimes it looks like an eel playing with a ball and sometimes it looks like a person praying to a higher being.”_

Mino put his chopsticks down, “ _Tell me if I’m getting this right but you’re going to Ulsan because Nam-gu’s emblem fascinated you?”_

Jinwoo smiled at him and nodded, _“The bus ticket I got leaves Seoul after midnight tomorrow night. I’ll be out of your hair in the morning so don’t worry.”_ Mino only stared at him, not saying anything. _“Remember what the receptionist told us? Some folks are checking out early in the morning tomorrow so I can move to another room in the hotel then.”_

_“You’re going to Ulsan because of an emblem?!”_

_“Yeah.”_ Jinwoo nodded again. _“I just told you!”_

 _“You can’t be serious.”_ Mino said in disbelief, his brows still furrowed.

Jinwoo waved his hand at him. _“Enough about me, how about you?”_

 _“I live around here.”_ Mino said, picking up his spoon.

_“Then why are you staying in a hotel? You could have just gone back home.”_

_“I can’t. I got the interior re-painted today and I can’t sleep with the smell. Also, they’re doing some plumbing work.”_ Stuffing some food in his mouth, Mino spoke up again. _“I’m originally from Yongin. You?”_

_“I’m not sure if you know it but I’m from Imja-do.”_

_“I don’t think I’ve heard of it.”_

_“It’s a tiny sleepy island. Not exactly that easy to get to, BUT...”_ Jinwoo straightened up, _“We’ve got really really nice beaches!”_

 

 

After finishing their meal, they settled on watching some TV. Mino switches channels every few seconds and Jinwoo enjoys the nanoseconds of static each time he does. The room is dark, a little chilly, and they were both sitting on the loveseat. At least it’s no longer too quiet cause that’s what Jinwoo dislikes most.

 _“Feeling sleepy?”_ Mino asked, eyes focused on the TV. _“Lie down and sleep if you are.”_

 _“‘I’m good.”_ Jinwoo shrugs. _“I can just sleep here. You take the bed.”_

_“Sleep on the bed, Jinwoo. I’ll sleep on the floor.”_

Jinwoo yawned and shook his head. _“No, I’ll sleep on the floor.”_

Mino stops switching channels and for a while Jinwoo is mesmerized by an orange colored tabby with lovely big green eyes being featured on a cat food commercial. _He’s been wanting to get a cat for ages._

 _“Please sleep on the bed.”_ Mino tells him, voice low.

 _“I can’t.”_ Jinwoo responds. _“I feel guilty enough as it is for being a burden to you.”_

 _“There’s nothing for you to be guilty about. You’re not a burden to me at all.”_ Mino assures.

Annoyance bubbled in Jinwoo’s stomach. _“Even if you tell me that, I can’t help how I feel.”_

_“You’re sleeping on the bed tonight, Jinwoo. That’s final.”_

_“You can’t just order me around!”_ Jinwoo snapped, _“I’ll sleep wherever I want!”_

 _“Just sleep on the damn bed!”_ Mino’s voice is volatile.

 _“I don’t want to!”_ Jinwoo yelled back in frustration. _“I told you already! Why don’t you get it?!”_

 _“You’re the one who doesn’t get it!”_ Mino retorted. _“Fine. You want to sleep on the floor, I’ll sleep on the floor too! You want to sleep on this loveseat, I’ll sleep on this loveseat too! I’ll be where you are, isn’t that nice?!”_

 _“Ya! Have you gone mad?!”_  Jinwoo jolts.

 _“Depends.”_ Mino shrugs, _“Would it make you feel better if I said I am?”_

_“There is no way that I am sleeping on that bed, Mino.”_

_“Then, there’s no way I’m sleeping on that bed either.”_

_“What the hell is wrong with you?!”_

_“It’s my hotel room. I’ll sleep wherever I want to sleep.”_

_“Then I’ll sleep outside.”_ Jinwoo challenged. “ _At the hallway!”_

Mino is unblinking, _“There’s plenty of room for two there. I’ll join you.”_

 _“Are you being serious right now?”_ Jinwoo raised a brow.

 _“I’ve been serious the whole time.”_ Mino countered

 _“Sleep on the bed.”_ Jinwoo says, voice restrained. _“This is your room. It’s only right that you get the bed.”_

_“This is my room and I want you to have the bed, can’t you just say ‘yes’ to me for once?”_

_“M-Mino... I - ”_ Jinwoo feels like choking, Mino wasn’t supposed to be this nice. _Where was his arrogance from earlier?_ It would be much better, much easier on him if he had something to hate him for so that he wouldn’t dare come too close.

 _“It’s just one night.”_ Mino faced him. _“Let me at least do this much for you.”_

That _‘look’_ in his eyes is back and it makes Jinwoo’s heart quiver, for a moment he feels achingly and wonderfully familiar. Jinwoo has to try very hard to fight back his tears. It’s been a while since someone or anyone has been this considerate to him. Maybe he’s being duped, or maybe he’s being pitied - Jinwoo doesn’t know but somehow with Mino he feels safer, he feels a little braver.

 _“Then, I’ll take the bed.”_ Jinwoo reluctantly agreed. _“I’ll take one side, you take the other. That’s fair enough, right?”_

 

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Mino can’t sleep. He fixes his gaze on the smooth plastered wall for a while then lets it drift over the shadows that danced on it. The room is dim and Mino is feeling anxious, neck feeling prickly, his breathing shallow. _Beside him quietly lay Jinwoo._ Maybe he’s asleep, maybe he’s not. Mino really wants to know but he lacks the courage to turn over and see for himself. He shifts on the bed riddled with unease. Jinwoo is so close and Mino has to work hard to pretend that it doesn’t bother him one bit.

But then he recalls that little smile Jinwoo does and Mino almost literally melts into a puddle on the sheets. _Almost._ Mino mentally berates himself at how fucking ridiculous he’s being in the middle of the night. _Shit. Being that cute should be illegal._

The bed jostles and Mino listens intently, closing his eyes he feigns sleep as Jinwoo pads to the bathroom. In his thoughts, however, Jinwoo appeared just as the door was shut. His eyes shining like he’s got a million little stars in them, laughing radiantly, his cheeks gone rosy. He is so lovely to behold and Mino is left enthralled, unable to peel his eyes away. And even though he knows this Jinwoo isn’t real, he pines for him anyway.

 _Too fast and too soon_ that his heart can’t keep up.

But then the look in this Jinwoo’s eyes changes, the stars that used to shine so brightly in them burn out one by one. Jinwoo’s face drops, no longer smiling, skin so very pallid - Mino can see the angry throbbing blue that is his veins. Jinwoo manages to look _hauntingly beautiful_ like this and Mino feels terrified to come close, fearing that his touch might just make the fragile being before him crumble.

A splash of maroon blooms on Jinwoo’s skin like a rose, growing into a dark purple patch. Mino recalls Jinwoo’s bruises he’d seen earlier, it was coupled with the harrowing look he adopts when it dawns on him that Mino had seen more than he had intended to show. Mino had a difficult time trying to stop himself from scooping Jinwoo in his arms right then and there, deep crescent indents lining his palms remain as proof of his struggle.

 _This feeling will pass come morning._ He tries to assure himself. _Or else he’s in some really deep shit._

 

 

Mino tosses and turns in bed a few times more in Jinwoo’s absence, by the 30th time that’s when he finally affirms to himself that he wasn’t simply going crazy over his ‘gone far too long bedmate’, Jinwoo really has been gone far too long.  His bare feet leaves the mattress and lands on the floor, gingerly making their way towards the bathroom door.

Now here’s the tricky part, Mino doesn’t know what to do next. He stands there biting his lips, eyes focused on the underglow emitting from the closed door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. A storm starts to brew inside him, its tempestuous winds demanding. He had two options to choose from - to lie back down in bed and calm the storm until it’s nothing but a gentle drizzle that can lull him to sleep, _or_ he can face the storm head on and allow the harsh frigid rain to fall around him like tiny icy blades that can cut open his skin.

Mino moves towards the door, hand hovering above the knob, his fingers itching to curl around the metal.

 

 

> _“I don’t even know you.”_
> 
> Jinwoo’s voice reverberates in Mino’s head as the memory plays back.
> 
> _“The same goes for me.”_
> 
>  Mino nearly shouted, his frustration leaking into his voice.
> 
> Jinwoo’s eyes bore into his and he shivers a little. Now he knows it wasn’t simply the cold like he originally thought. It’s the weird churning going on in his stomach, the one that had started his heart racing in an almost maddening rhythm.
> 
> Mino took a step towards him, not wanting to waste time.
> 
> _He just wanted to help._ Justifying himself so cruelly.
> 
>  
> 
> Now he realizes that he’d been _lying_ to himself all along.
> 
> _He wanted Jinwoo_ from the moment he laid eyes on him.

 

There’s a metaphoric _Pandora’s Box_ that’s been placed before him, its content tugging on his invisible heartstrings, his feet remain shackled with logic and they’re disapproving.

They’re _strangers_ to each other. _Only strangers_.

And when morning comes, that’s what they should _remain_ as.

Mino takes a step back, hand falling to his side. He’s better off keeping _this_ metaphoric _Pandora’s Box_ close. He starts to walk back to bed where presumably what’s left of his _security blanket_ lay. For the most part, taking literal steps towards it is easy enough because it’s _what his mind tells him is right_. Unfortunately, he couldn’t say the same for his heart.

The sound of a wrangled sob from behind the bathroom door pulls Mino out of his reverie. It’s _the sound broken people make at three in the morning_ when the pain is too much for their body and mind to take. Every single tear that falls aren’t simply leaking out of their eyes, it’s from somewhere much deeper - _where the hurt really lies_.

A well hidden place in their heart, _where no light shines_.

Mino paused, wincing at the growing pang in his chest. _His heart knows what it wants_ and it’s behind the closed door crying his own heart out.

  
 

Jinwoo pulls back violently at the sight of Mino in the doorway. He backs himself into a corner, shaking all over. His face is wet with tears and every breath he makes sounds so achingly desperate in Mino’s ears that they sink into his core and rattle him to the bone. Pressing his trembling hands into his eyes in an attempt to cover himself, Jinwoo slid down to the cold tiled floor. Mino advanced forward, dropping to his knees in front of him.

 _“Jinwoo - ”_ he manages, barely in control. He gently grabs hold of Jinwoo’s quivering hands and slowly pulls them away from his face.

 _“Don’t look at me… Please… Get out...”_ Jinwoo’s voice sounds heartbreakingly fragile. Mino carefully tilts his head so they can face each other. Pain is evident in Jinwoo’s eyes and Mino wanted nothing more than to relight the stars that he knew once shone bright in them.

 _“It’s okay. Trust me.”_ Mino gently brushed away his tears with his thumbs. Jinwoo’s eyes flickered up to his face. _“I told you...I’m not letting you go.”_

Jinwoo doesn’t respond, renewed tears flowing freely. Mino continues to reach out to him with feather light strokes. A fleeting moment of quiet passes then Jinwoo is burying himself in Mino’s chest, body molding against his, leaving Mino overwhelmed to finally have him so close. Mino’s arms come around him, hands lightly stroking Jinwoo’s back and arms soothingly as he unleashed a new set of gut-wrenching sobs.

His shirt is soon damp with Jinwoo’s tears and he wishes that there was something more that he can do for him. Jinwoo’s skin feels cold and clammy under his touch and Mino tries to press them even closer together hoping that Jinwoo will take in his warmth and that it will seep into his being.  The heavy sobs that wracked Jinwoo’s form eased out little by little. As he grew exhausted, he rested his head atop Mino’s shoulder, sniffling.

 _“Mino...”_ Jinwoo whispered, still appearing guarded.

Mino shushes him and simply nods, relieved that Jinwoo doesn’t seem as damaged as he initially thought. There is no doubt in his mind that his dulcet persona is still there, lost under layers of repressed emotion that Jinwoo had cocooned himself in.

  
 

Jinwoo is much noticeably calmer as they lay together in bed later on, facing each other. Jinwoo’s breath warm against his neck as he splayed his hand over his back drawing patterns with his fingers. Mino is transfixed - his eyes committing every feature on Jinwoo’s face down to his tiniest mole in his memory.

_“Um...”_

Mino blinks a few times, slightly moving back as Jinwoo cleared his throat.

 _“I have something to apologize to you about.”_ Jinwoo starts. Mino quirked his eyebrows at him, curious. _“I thought you were just an egotistic asshole. I’m sorry.”_

Mino chuckled softly after hearing this, _“And now I’m not?”_

Jinwoo doesn’t answer. Instead, he wrinkled his nose and (to Mino’s delight) shifted closer.

 _“How about now...”_ Mino asked softly, voice probing. _“...how do you find me now?”_

 _“Definitely much better.”_ Jinwoo nods, a slight teasing tone to his voice that had Mino shaking his head. _“By a lot!”_

Their joint laughter reverberated around them in the stillness of the room and as they lay there moments later trying to catch their breath, Jinwoo’s pretty lips spread into the most beautiful and genuine smile Mino has ever seen on him. _That’s when Mino finally loses it._ Logic flying out the window, he leaned down and pressed his lips against Jinwoo’s.

Mino’s head spins at the contact but he quickly catches himself. He tries to stay cautious, keeping things slow. Jinwoo’s lips were quivering against his but his desire ultimately won out over his fears. He timidly followed after Mino with his perfectly soft lips. Mino cups Jinwoo’s face to guide him, running his tongue over his lower lip a few times in an effort to melt away his hesitation and boost his confidence.

It was a few simple brushes of lips against lips after that, kept fairly chaste through immense willpower - _Mino_ _’s_. The last thing he wanted is to scare Jinwoo away.

 _“We should...um...”_ Mino blanks out, when they drew apart. _“...sleep...cause you know...”_

He was still breathless, in a state of disbelief. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t keen on taking Jinwoo and making him his at this point, there is no longer any doubt on that. But what he wanted, more than anything, is a deeper connection with Jinwoo that went beyond anything physical the two of them could possibly do now and in the future.

 _Future_. Mino smiles at the thought. _He sure as hell would like that with Jinwoo_.

Mino could see it clearly, _could see them together_ many years down the road _._

He didn’t simply want to touch Jinwoo and claim him, he wanted to ease Jinwoo’s pain, shield him from his demons, and restore him to the man he was before all this. Whatever _this_ is. Delving deeper into his expanding thoughts, _M_ ino blinked a few times, face falling a little at the not so heartening prospect.

 _“What are you thinking about?”_ He hears Jinwoo ask, voice reluctant, a bashful smile on his lips.

Meeting Jinwoo’s gaze and seeing his lips after what just transpired between them had Mino’s mind going places. He would just have to work even harder in acquiring Jinwoo’s heart.

 _“He was supposed to be here with me tonight.”_ Jinwoo candidly opens up. _“Our third year anniversary.”_

Mino falls quiet. He’s had a sneaking suspicion.

 _“He changed. Started getting angry all the time.”_ Jinwoo’s eyes glazed over. _“Shouting, throwing things...”_

His words stopped there and Mino grew worried, he took Jinwoo’s hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

 _“We fought. The night before yesterday. I couldn’t hold it anymore.”_ Jinwoo’s voice started to shake. _“And...”_

 _“Don’t say anymore.”_ Mino pleads. _“You don’t have to.”_

_“I begged him to stop. Over and over...”_

_“Stop hurting yourself.”_ Mino mumbles against Jinwoo’s lips, stopping him from going any further. Balancing on his elbows, he shifts just enough so that Jinwoo can comfortably lay on his back as he hovered over him. With one hand resting on Jinwoo’s waist, he leaned down and gently brushed their lips together again before pulling away, apprehensively meeting Jinwoo’s gaze, seeking his approval.

Jinwoo doesn’t respond and the silence that settled between them had Mino’s stomach in knots. After being quiet for what seemed like an eternity, Jinwoo slowly reached out a hand to him, fingers cinching his hair, slowly tugging - slightly lifting his head to meet Mino’s waiting lips.

Jinwoo’s fingers catch into the cotton of his shirt pulling him even closer until they’re pressed together with no space between them. Mino tilts his head, allowing him better access. Jinwoo’s lips smooth over his, tongue sliding along Mino’s bottom lip. He smiles into the kiss, granting him entrance, Jinwoo’s tongue moving divinely inside his mouth.

Jinwoo seems intent on exploring every part of Mino he can get, tongue moving more freely and hungrily and _fuck_ he is one heck of an amazing kisser. The thought of _other things_ that Jinwoo’s pretty mouth is capable of had the butterflies in Mino’s stomach soaring. His hand delved under Jinwoo’s shirt, running it over the heated skin there and that had Jinwoo sweetly mewling into his mouth and keening.

Mino chuckles, lips moving along Jinwoo’s jaw. That’s when Mino sensed that something was off. Jinwoo’s grip on his shirt has gotten tighter, body growing tense under his. Mino licked his lips as he slowly slid down one side of Jinwoo’s shirt, revealing his shoulder - his _bruised and bitten_ shoulder.

Mino harshly bit down on his bottom lip at the sight, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

_That fucking bastard._

Between the bruising there were a few teeth-marks that broke through Jinwoo’s skin, angry red and swollen. Growing even more curious, he lifted Jinwoo's shirt. There were bruises on the side of his waist, scratches on his chest, and hickeys all over his torso. They exchanged glances, Jinwoo stammering for words as he tried to tug the neckline of his shirt higher and cover it.

Mino moved away to give Jinwoo some space when he suddenly latched on to his shirt, _“Please don’t hate me.”_

 _“I don’t. Never. Don’t you ever think that.”_ Mino cupped his face. _“Even like this, you’re still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and nothing will ever change that.”_

_“Mino, I don’t deserve this.”_

Wrinkles form on Mino’s forehead as he tried to get into the bottom of things. Taking Jinwoo’s hand, he brought it up to his mouth and placed a chaste kiss on his palm.

 _“I’m the one who doesn’t.”_ Mino told him. _“I’ve wanted you like this from the moment I first saw you sleeping on this very bed earlier tonight.”_

It takes Jinwoo a few seconds to take in his admission, the creases on his face smoothing out.

 _“Before I saw you...”_ Mino paused, lightly caressing Jinwoo’s cheek. _“...I didn’t even think I could ever feel like this. Each time I look at you, you make me feel things that I never even knew existed.”_

 _“Is this your way of telling me you like me?”_ Jinwoo asked.

Mino grinned, pressing his lips gently against Jinwoo’s in response, kissing him with all the gentleness he can muster. They did say actions are better than words.

 _“Hey, do you like cats?”_ Mino asked him when their lips separated.

 _“I love cats.”_ Jinwoo said, now smiling. _“I’ve wanted a cat for ages...”_

 _“That’s great!”_ Mino exclaimed as he started to stroke Jinwoo’s hair. _“I have a cat, her name is Johnny.”_

 _“Johnny?”_ Jinwoo repeats, leaning into his touch.

Mino chuckled. _“She’s a sweetheart. I’m sure you two will get along just fine.”_

 _“Uh…I’m a little lost.”_ Jinwoo propped himself up. _“Mino, what are you implying?”_

 _“Well …”_ Mino started, licking his lips. _“How about you cancel moving hotel rooms tomorrow and forget about that bus trip of yours to Ulsan...”_ Jinwoo met his gaze, looking very puzzled.  Mino sighed, it’s all or nothing.

_“What I’m saying is, I want you to move in with me and Johnny.”_

There, he’d said it. _Laid everything out on the table_. Jinwoo went quiet as he processed his suggestion and Mino watched him apprehensively as he waited for his answer.

_“I mean, since your bags are all packed up and ready to go anyway.”_

Jinwoo nodded, acknowledging what he just said. He then spoke up slowly, _“My answer is ‘yes’. I do want to move in with you...”_

Mino clutched his chest, sighing in relief. He grabbed Jinwoo and leaned in for a kiss but Jinwoo stopped him.

_“...BUT, we just met and we barely know each other. I just got out of a relationship. I don’t think I’m ready...”_

They stared at each other for a while. So much has happened since the two of them met.

 _“Jinwoo, just because I asked you to move in with me doesn't mean that we have to be in a relationship now or we have to have sex.”_ Mino assured, taking hold of Jinwoo’s hand. _“I know how much they mean to you and I respect that. I’ll wait because you’re worth the wait and I don’t want anyone else.”_ Mino said slowly and earnestly. _“For now, I just want to be beside you. I can’t say that I can fix all your problems for you but what I can say is that you don’t have to face them alone. You’ll have me and I won’t let go. Whatever happens, we’ll go through it together.”_

 _“Sometimes I snore in my sleep and they say that I watch too many dramas. I get jealous really easily and I can get clingy.”_ Jinwoo confessed, _“Think you can handle that?”_

 _“I can always buy earplugs and we can watch those dramas together. Cling with me all you want because that’s exactly what I want.”_ Mino beamed, _“As for the ‘jealous part’ - with how beautiful you are, I think I’ll be the one who’ll be doing that a lot.”_

 _“This is all going too fast but I’m excited.”_ Jinwoo leaned forward and embraced Mino.

_“I am too. Thank you for coming into my life and for not breaking my nose.”_

Jinwoo pulled away from him and smacked his arm lightly, laughing.

And as they both lay in bed, legs tangled and arms wrapped around each other, Mino whispered something to Jinwoo.

 _“Hey, because I don't want us fighting over it ever again, I'm telling you now.”_ Jinwoo prettily blinked up at him, confused. _“I only have one bed. I hope you don't mind sharing.”_

Jinwoo only smiled at this. _“I can live with that, but can you?”_

Mino’s hand on his waist slid lower, giving his butt a little spank for being a tease. His expression changed after. _“Did you wear the underwear I left out for you earlier?”_

 _“Oh, you mean those...”_ Jinwoo pointed at Mino’s bedside table where something black was neatly folded.

Mino’s eyes widened as he caught sight of the familiar waistband, pulling away to inquiringly gaze at Jinwoo's bottom half. _“Wait, don’t tell me you’re not wearing anything under those pants right now….”_

Jinwoo’s cheeks flushed scarlet. He turned away taking most of the blankets with him, showing Mino his back. _“Maybe.”_

 

 

The sun was already starting to peek out when the two of them fell asleep, _dreaming one dream_.

Dreaming about all the _wonderful things_ their future together holds.

 

* * *

 

This is how _Ulsan's_ **Nam-gu** emblem looks.

 

 

 


End file.
